BEVERLY, Mass. - Massachusetts Task Force 1 answered calls to help after Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy and now Hurricane Helene. The team said the damage in North Carolina is some of the worst they’ve ever seen.

“We’ve responded to a lot of hurricanes, tropical storms and natural disasters and this one is right up there with it,” program manager Janice Corkhum said. 

More than 60 members, made up of two teams deployed to the hard-hit area. Crews are carrying out search and rescue missions as dozens of roads are still closed, trapping residents with limited supplies. 

“It’s quite a devastated area. They’ve been doing some rescues, some water rescues. They’re up and down rivers, they’re in flooded areas, they’ve had some live rescues and of course some live rescues of some pets," she said. “So there’s plenty of work down there for them.”

Both teams specialize in water rescues and wide-area searches. They came with their own equipment, ready to search for anyone who needs help.

“They’ve had some rescues where they’ve been in a trailer park and they had to rescue a woman and her dog,” Corkhum said. 

Corkhum said the state is dealing with devastating damage. Some areas saw as much as 30 inches of rainfall.

“The dangers start as soon as they leave. From driving down to getting there,” she said. “Then what’s in the water for hazmat. There’s dangerous conditions for them all the time.”

The task force is one of 28 FEMA urban search and rescue teams across the country, made up up mostly of police officers and firefighters and some civilians. 

“FEMA has requirements that they must meet to be on this team,” Corkhum said. “They’re skilled and ready to do and that’s what makes them an urban search and rescue team.”

Both teams left last week and Corkhum said there’s no talk of demobilization at this point in the mission.